All of today’s rumours in one easy-to-use list thing
Well that’s it, the football seasons have ended throughout Europe… sorry, hang on, what’s that Scotland? Yours hasn’t finished? Hmmm, is it going to be Rangers or Celtic? Well, there’s a shock. Some might argue that your football season never really starts or ends. But enough of this zany metaphysical talk, what’s been going on in Transfer Land?
Frank Lampard to Inter Milan
Whenever it sounds like Jose Mourinho is close to picking up his sheriffs badge and polishing his six shooter, ready to rejoin the world of the employed, everyone starts frothing at the mouth and insisting that, well, that’s it, Lampard and Drogba will definitely be going to Italy after all. He’s not their dad, you know.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Simple maths? Probably not, Columbo.
Mario Gomez to Newcastle
There is talk of Germany’s new star joining the pantheon of greats, like Jon-Dahl Tomasson, Albert Luque, Alan Smith, Warren Barton… the list is very long.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: One word Mario: don’t do it!
Alberto Aquilani to Arsenal
The Roma midfielder’s agent has winked and nudged and coughed the word “yes” very obviously when linked with an Arsenal move. So, doing maths, it seems that Alberto is wisely moving at around 65mph from one Champions League club to another, not breaking the speed limit and careering from a Champions League club to a UEFA Cup one – take note Flamini, you dummy.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: It’s not like agents just make things up to generate interest in their players…
Sebastien Frey to Arsenal
With Jens Lehmann shouting his way home, and Manuel Almunia still dying his hair unfashionably blonde, Wenger may have no choice but to sign the current Fiorentina keeper.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Possible, he’s been linked before.
Wayne Bridge to Juventus
Being stuck behind Ashley Cole in the pecking order must be somewhat akin to being left out of your local cricket team because Fred West has your spot. Luckily Bridge’s old pal Claudio Ranieri has been speaking about him in a complementary way.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: It’s rare for Englishman to move to Italy, but, really, he should go.
Jo to Everton
Yes, that same girlie-named killer that was linked with a £20 million move to Manchester City a few weeks ago could now be poached by Everton in a bid to convince David Moyes to please stay at the club.
The Spoiler Truth-o-meter: Surely too expensive and risky for Everton?
20 responses so far
1 Stevo // May 20, 2008 at 9:50 am
Shocked that it is going to be Rangers or Celtic? Isn’t the Premiership alway Man U, Aresnal or Chelsea? Oh yes that’s much mor competitive.
TIT
2 Glenn // May 20, 2008 at 9:53 am
what utter pish you talk about Scottish footie - here is a friendly reminder of the Premier League stats…
In the past 13 seasons only three different clubs have won the Premier League title—Manchester United (eight times), Arsenal (three times) and Chelsea (twice). Blackburn Rovers are the only other team to have won the title in the Premier League’s history.
3 Paul // May 20, 2008 at 10:05 am
Never been on this site and I won’t be back - utter drivel!!! By the way, who won the most recent encounter between the Premier League Champions & the SPL Champions??? Enough said - go back to your fascist imperial roots.
4 Gunner4life&beyond // May 20, 2008 at 10:06 am
The premier league may not be ultra competitive, when it comes to who wins the league, but it’s still four different winners compared to your two.
Plus Man Utd et al have actually finished third or lower, respectively, in those seasons. When was the last time Rangers or Celtic even came third?
Sorry, but the premier league isn’t that bad, the SPL is one of the most predictable leagues in the world, when it comes to who wins ans who is runner-up.
5 Gunner4life&beyond // May 20, 2008 at 10:08 am
ans = and
6 justin // May 20, 2008 at 10:11 am
dont blame flamini for wanting to join a big club
7 Gunner4life&beyond // May 20, 2008 at 10:17 am
I don’t blame him either, he was in the last year of his contract, so he could do whatever he wanted. I hope he does well in the Uefa cup, and at least helps to provide some competition for Inter next season.
However AC are a bigger club based on the past, and that’s obviously not where we are now, so he will need a lot of luck.
8 Mort // May 20, 2008 at 10:26 am
Gunner4life&beyond
Rangers finished third in the SPL in 2006.
9 Gunner4life&beyond // May 20, 2008 at 10:28 am
Really? Well forgive my mistake then, I’m sorry I missed that one. Who finished above them, Hearts?
10 Mort // May 20, 2008 at 10:30 am
Yeah it was Hearts. No matter what league you look at in Europe there are only really 2 or 3 serious contenders.
11 monthehoops // May 20, 2008 at 10:53 am
Gunner4life&beyond, your comments are cringe worthy in relation to the SPL, we have pretty much half the teams in our league than you do in yours, therefore the same ratio of teams in contention for the title. and when was the last time celtic or rangers came third in the league? rangers finished 3rd in the 05/06 season, with hearts finishing second and celtic crowned champions. the difference financially between the two leagues is unbelievable and we still manage to produce a good, exciting standard of football. a fourth place finish in the spl will give that club somewhere between 200 400 thousand pounds (roughly) and what will liverpool receive this year for finishing 4th? an absurd amount of money that even celtic and rangers could only dream of never mind dundee utd! yet we still manage to go out and perform well in europe, with aberdeen qualifying for the group stages of the uefa cup, getting out of the group stages and managing a draw at home to bayern munich. rangers reaching the uefa cup final, and celtic getting to the last 16 of the champions league for the second successive season. i think the teams in the spl should be applauded for how well they perform with such little money, epecially the top 6. maybe you should focus more on how much under achieving goes on in your own league with the amount of money your teams spend every season.
12 Jules // May 20, 2008 at 11:09 am
We won’t Justin, because he didn’t join a bigger club. He joined a team that we thoroughly thrashed in the CL and who will be in the UEFA cup (alongside losers like Spurs) next season. Go back to your poor little bottom half spuddies
13 Gunner4life&beyond // May 20, 2008 at 11:53 am
monthehoops, I didn’t read all your post, it’s too big and blocky, but based on what I did read…
I don’t care about the underachieving of any league, why would I? It just seemed silly to say the premier league is predictable, when the scottish league seems even more so, so I felt to comment about it.
However, I acknowledge the points you and Mort are making, so I concede that the SPL is quite competitive inspite of appearances, and the premier league should be more competitive.
Ultimately, I don’t mind though.
By the way, hard luck and congratulations to all Ranger’s fans for getting to the final, but Zenit played some nice football.
14 Sensimilla // May 20, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Oops, I think you pressed some sensitive Scotch button.
15 Daviebhoy // May 20, 2008 at 1:11 pm
I wouldn’t say sensitive, we just get pissed off with rediculous comparisons, considering the english premier league hasn’t really been competitive since Sky TV got involved, and the champions league format changed, meaning the big four will continue to dominate for years. I would bet with anyone right now that the english league will be won by ManUtd, Chelsea or Arsenal next year…..Am I wrong??
16 monthehoops // May 20, 2008 at 1:16 pm
well i think that if you look at any league in europe, if you don’t know much about it, it probably will seem quite predictable, but teams in the spl like motherwell, dundee utd and hibs have all been exciting to watch this season. fair point, though, it will take something special for a team to come and challenge rangers and celtic for the title (like the epl with the top 4), hearts could be up there now with the old firm, but mr romanov has ruined that club and now they’re in the bottom six. sorry for the rant, exams are getting the better of me at the moment! let’s hope celtic get drawn with one of the top 4 this season in the champions league, always makes for a great game! enjoy your football mate!
17 Rab // May 20, 2008 at 1:36 pm
It has been interesting watching the demise of English football ever since Sky became involved and started pumping ridiculous amounts of money into the game south of the border. What have English teams really gained from that? Apart from the national team getting its backside kicked with monotonous regularity by teams whose personnel come from ’smaller leagues’ it is, quite frankly, annoying to have to watch so many over-rated, over-paid guisers, lifting a king’s ransom every week for playing crap. For Scottish football it is good though because periodically some daft English club will come along and pay stupid money for quite ordinary players; eg Alan Hutton to Spurs. Thank you very much Juande, you are a gent! It’s rather like me rushing down to Tesco and deciding to pay £40 for a £2 bag of spuds, just because I can. But hey, who are we to complain. If the English think their league is fantastic that’s good, but it is still a shame that hardly any English players actually get to play on a Saturday.
18 Steve // May 20, 2008 at 2:20 pm
Rab, if it is so uninteresting to watch the English Premier league then don’t watch it. I have to be honest and say that I would watch Spanish football, Italian football, even German football if there is nothing more interesting on. If any other game except the old firm are on in Scotland the missus would probably be allowed to watch Coronation Street.
19 monthehoops // May 20, 2008 at 4:04 pm
well rab, it’s good to see you let “the missus” watch a bit of telly between the cooking, washing your vests and bringing you bottles of stella! do you give her a wee slap after corrie just to make sure she doesn’t get ahead of herself? idiot.
20 monthehoops // May 20, 2008 at 4:10 pm
apologies, the above comment was left for steve from the 1950s, not rab! completely agree with your comment rab!